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What Ever Happened to: Jake Ryan From Sixteen Candles?

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Ladies everywhere have drooled over Michael Schoeffling. Sixteen Candles is timeless, and every time I watch it I wonder why I’ve never seen the very yummy Jake Ryan again. After some intense Google digging, I discovered his whereabouts. Schoeffling retired from acting in 1991, and moved back to his hometown of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania to start his own furniture company. He’s often pursued for a ‘Where Are They Now’ interview, but no one knows the exact location of his business. He’s unlisted and clearly doesn’t want to be found. In fact, GQ Magazine tried and failed to track him down in 2002, calling him the “Salinger of male model/actors.” There’s one report of a sighting though, from a lone blogger who noticed him while shopping at his furniture store. He graciously laughed upon being recognized, and the woman asked why he quit acting for carpentry. Schoeffling said that he wasn’t getting the kind of roles he wanted, so he decided to start his own business instead. And there you have it. I found that story particularly interesting, because I consider Schoeffling to have been a movie star in his time. He starred in three major motion pictures: Sixteen Candles; Mermaids; and the very underrated, Wild Hearts Can’t be Broken. You would think he’d give it more of a chance before giving up on his acting career entirely. Perhaps he got out just in time. I’m not sure he’d like the paparazzi-driven Hollywood of today’s generation.

UPDATE: Thanks to Wet Paint, I’ve discovered Michael Schoeffling’s very beautiful daughter, Scarlett Schoeffling. She’s a model who lives in NYC, and she’s predictably gorgeous. Check out a vintage pic of her pop, followed by a current snap of the soon-to-be star.

You can find his furniture in several places, RJS Wood Products in Lake Ariel, PA, and Lake Ariel Wood Products, same town (no website). They will not give you his address, or even admit knowing him (my friend eventually found his home, but extremely well hidden). He lives in isolated, wooded area down the road, just wants to be left alone. You can buy one of his amazing, (hand-rubbed!) benches at the above stores, look for marking that looks like jagged “MS” underneath, in weird tiny font, looks almost like a scratch. I bought three, they are beautifully crafted works. I sit on him often, and remember…